Amazon has ordered two live-action comedies and three children’s shows to be offered on its subscription service Amazon Prime. The original programming was selected from 14 pilots the company made available to subscribers last month, from which customer reactions helped guide the selection process. The new series include a political comedy starring John Goodman and a show about a group of friends looking to launch the next social networking app. Continue reading Amazon Orders Original Programming for Subscription Service

At the D: All Things Digital conference in California yesterday, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg suggested it would take time to get Facebook Home on track. While acknowledging problems with Facebook’s new Android application, she remains optimistic about the company’s vision for a mobile experience. She stated that “Facebook Home is version one of a very large transformation” and suggested that progress is “going to be a long road.” Continue reading D11 Conference: Facebook COO Discusses New Android App

Pandora is launching a new Facebook application called the Pandora Timeline App that integrates its mobile applications and website so that users can easily share their favorite music and discover new artists that are popular with their friends. The app has been updated with the new Facebook feature for iPhone and Android users. Users can customize which music they opt to share and can specify which categories (listening activity, likes and follows) to share. Continue reading Pandora Timeline App Hopes to Leverage Mobile and Social

The Android version of the Google Drive mobile app has been updated to include a number of new features, including the ability to scan receipts, business cards and other documents with your camera phone and save them in the cloud via Drive. In addition to the ability to scan documents, the update uses an optical technology in order to search the stored images. And according to Google, a new grid view makes it easier to find files. Continue reading Google Drive Update: Mobile Android App Features Scanning

Google Chrome has the potential to follow mobile as a second significant disruption to computing. With Chrome, Google is making a move to dominate computing as an entry to a new app economy. Kevin C. Tofel, writing for GigaOM, suggests that within a year, many of us will be using a Chromebook — but not necessarily “Google-designed hardware; instead it will be on the Mac, Windows or Linux machine you have at that time.” Continue reading Disruption: Will Google Take Over the Desktop with Chrome?

During day three of its I/O developers conference on Friday, Google announced that in-app revenues via the Google Play store are up 700 percent since the same period last year. The company’s recently launched Google Subscriptions model is also seeing progress, doubling inbound revenue each quarter since its launch about 12 months ago. Some apps using Subscriptions as their revenue model, such as Pandora, have reached the top grossing list. Continue reading I/O: Google Play In-App Purchases Increase by 700 Percent

We recently reported that networks such as ABC, TBS and TNT will be offering new apps that reflect the multi-platform TV Everywhere strategy so prevalent at last week’s Upfronts in New York. USA Network is making a similar move with its “screen unification strategy” that synchronizes the viewing experience across TV, online and mobile. USA, which unveiled its plans on Thursday, will begin rolling out the new initiative in early June. Continue reading Upfronts: USA Network Unveils Screen Unification Strategy

Successful YouTube channel Machinima recently launched an app for Xbox Live. The move is notable for the video entertainment channel, which is already available on iOS and Android apps, since it marks the first significant expansion to a distribution network beyond YouTube. Additionally, it marks the first time that Microsoft has introduced an app in all 41 of its global Xbox Live markets simultaneously. Continue reading Machinima App for Xbox Live: Reaching Beyond YouTube

Google’s Internet-connected Glass device will soon feature seven new apps, which the company hopes will makes the glasses more functional. The Glassware apps, announced at the I/O developers conference yesterday, include Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, reminder notes from Evernote, news alerts from CNN and fashion features from Elle. The seven additions join Path and The New York Times as the only apps currently available on Glass. Continue reading Glassware: Google Announces New Apps for Glass Device

Elevatr is a new mobile app from 23-year old CEO David Spiro and New York-based app development agency Fueled. The free iOS app is designed to help entrepreneurs keep track of their concepts and develop effective models, in hopes of turning innovative ideas into practical business plans. Elevatr is basically a note-taking app that makes a traditional business plan accessible for concept development on mobile devices. Continue reading Map Out Your Startup Business Plan with Elevatr Mobile App

Google kicked off its annual I/O developers conference yesterday with a three and a half hour keynote delivered before 6,000 attendees at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. In addition to a surprise appearance by CEO Larry Page, who discussed obstacles to technological progress and answered questions from software developers, the event detailed updates and new releases involving Google+, Google Maps, Hangouts, Google Play Music All Access, a special Galaxy S4 smartphone and more. Continue reading Google I/O: New Music Service, Google+ Updates and More

Google has sent Microsoft a cease and desist letter, demanding that the YouTube app for Windows Phone be removed from the Windows Phone Store by May 22nd. The letter alleges that the app, unveiled just over a week ago, blocks advertising and allows local downloads of content, both clear violations of YouTube’s terms of service. The application was authored by Microsoft, without consultation or collaboration with Google. Continue reading Google Cries Foul Over New Windows Phone YouTube App

In the wake of ABC’s announcement that it would upgrade its app to live-stream local programming in the New York and Philadelphia areas, TBS and TNT plan to offer live 24/7 streaming of their series and sports coverage beginning this summer. The streams will be available via the channels’ websites and soon-to-launch mobile apps called Watch TNT and Watch TBS. The apps will initially be offered for iOS devices, with support for other platforms expected by the end of the year. Continue reading TBS and TNT to Offer Live Streaming and New Mobile Apps

ABC will upgrade its app for iPhones and iPads this week with a “live” button that will allow viewers in the New York and Philadelphia areas to live-stream local ABC programming. The live stream, which will also be offered via ABC-owned stations in six other cities this summer, will be made available only to cable and satellite subscribers. ABC is in talks with 200 affiliates to offer “live” in their markets as well. Continue reading ABC App to Offer Live Streams of TV Shows for Subscribers

Palo Alto-based Boxfish released a new Android version of its second screen TV guide app last week. The Boxfish app, which first launched on iOS in August 2012, monitors conversations in real time based on nearly 1,000 U.S. channels in order to make TV searchable via key topics. The data that is analyzed by Boxfish could potentially one day power consumers’ DVRs and cable boxes. Since last year’s iOS launch, the company has been working to perfect the identification of topics. Continue reading Boxfish CEO Hopes Second Screen App Will Build Better TV